Winchester City will be doing their best to put a smile back on the face of popular footballer Michael Jackson when they host a testimonial day for him this Saturday.

Tragically, the towering striker has been forced to call time on his career at the age of 27 because of the horrific injuries he received one fateful Sunday last November playing for his local Romsey side Hunters FC.

Jackson - a Wessex championship winner with Lymington & New Milton last season - was tackled with such force that his leg was broken in seven places.

He has undergone a series of grafts after suffering compartment syndrome which causes the muscles to bleed and die.

His leg was so badly smashed that doctors likened it to a car crash injury and it's unlikely he will ever walk properly again.

"If it had happened three or four years ago I would have lost the leg from the knee down," said Jackson, who is walking with the aid of a crutch. "The doctors said they had never seen anything like it from a football match.

"I've got a pin straight down the middle of the tibia from the knee to the ankle which they're going to leave in there because it would be too traumatic to take it out.

"Now that the skin grafts have nearly healed, I've got an appointment with an ankle specialist this week to discuss the possibility of having tendon transplants to assist the foot drop. At the moment, if I try to lift the leg up, the foot just hangs."

Jackson has played for Weymouth, Winchester City, Lymington & NM, Bashley, Totton, Andover, Kings Somborne and Mottisfont and many ex-teammates will be turning out to celebrate his career on Saturday.

The afternoon, organised by Winchester's departing director of football David Malone, kicks off with a ladies' six-a-side match at 2pm followed by the main men's game at 3pm and an auction of sporting memorabilia, a BBQ and disco.

"To be honest, I didn't expect to have a testimonial at the age of 27, but having a day like this makes it easier to cope with," said Jackson.

"Dave Malone was the first person to give me a chance when he was chairman of Bashley.

"The referee John Challis recommended me to him when I was playing for Kings Somborne in the North Hants League. But I knew Dave even before that when I played for Kingsworthy as a nipper."

Jackson began playing football as an eight-year-old for Tadburn boys when ex-Saint Steve Basham was also starting out.

He has returned to his Tadburn roots helping to coach the under-8s side and he smiled: "It helps keep me involved with football. I might move into management one day.

"Football has been my life and I'm just glad that I can look back on winning the Wessex title with Lymington as the last thing I did as a player.

"I really enjoyed my time there with a good set-up and a great bunch of players."

Admission on Saturday is £5 and free for accompanied under-16s.